Softball

The Cimino Coaching File

In her first 14 seasons as the head softball coach at Bellevue University, Michala Cimino has guided the Bruins to seven conference regular-season titles, five conference tournament titles, and seven appearances in the NAIA National Softball Tournament.

Cimino, who was named the MCAC Coach of the Year in 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2015 and NSAA Coach of the Year in 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2022, has compiled an overall record of 516-228-1 (.693) and a 228-49 (.823) mark in conference play.

After not playing a conference season in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Cimino guided the 2021 Bruins to their 11th-straight 30-win season, finishing with a 36-20 overall record and to a second-place finish in the NSAA with a 21-7 conference mark. Her 2022 and 2023 squads both won NSAA regular-season titles while amassing over 40 wins in each season.  

Cimino's 2019 BU squad finished with a 44-20 overall record while placing second in the NSAA regular season with a 23-5 conference ledger. The 23 wins were the most league victories since joining the NSAA in 2016. The 2019 Bruins finished second in the NSAA Tournament, advancing to the NAIA National Tournament for the seventh time in the Cimino era. For her efforts, Cimino was named the NSAA Coach of the Year, marking the seventh time in her career she has garnered league Coach of the Year accolades. 

Cimino led Bellevue to 20 conference wins in its second year in the NSAA in 2017, capturing the league's regular-season title. BU reached the 2-of-3 championship series of the conference tournament before falling to Jamestown in three games. The Bruins, however, earned an at-large berth into the NAIA National Tournament. The 50 wins were the second-most in school history. 

In 2015, Cimino led the Bruins to the NAIA National Tournament for the third-straight season as BU finished with a 41-14-1 overall record. Bellevue pulled the double of winning the MCAC regular season and tournament championships in the same season for the first time since 2011 and the sixth time in program history.

The 2014 Bruins advanced to the NAIA National Tournament for the second-straight season and the seventh time in school history and completed the season with a 36-17 overall record. BU finished runner-up in MCAC regular season with a 16-4 mark before winning the conference tournament championship.

In 2012, Cimino guided the Bruins to a 44-16 overall record, including two victories over Central Baptist College who finished the season ranked No. 5.

She has coached 10 NAIA All-Americans, 65 first-team all-conference players, seven conference Players of the Year, seven conference Pitchers of the Year, five conference Newcomers of the Year, 106 conference Scholar-Athletes, and 44 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes.

After helping guide the University of Nebraska at Omaha to 12 consecutive NCAA Division II National Tournament appearances as an assistant coach, Cimino became Bellevue’s head softball coach on July 1, 2009.

Cimino, who replaced Bellevue athletic director and softball coach Ed Lehotak, became just the second head softball coach in school history.

In her 12 seasons as an assistant coach at UNO, the Mavericks won seven North Central Conference titles and compiled a record of 559-184 (.752). Nebraska-Omaha won at least 30 games every season during Cimino’s stay at UNO, highlighted by the Mavericks’ 2001 national championship.

Cimino also enjoyed a stellar athletic career at UNO from 1993-94 and was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008. She led the Mavericks to a third-place finish in the 1994 NCAA Division II National Tournament and, in the process, was named to the all-North Central Conference and all-Midwest Region teams. In addition, she was named to the all-tournament team at the 1994 NCAA II Midwest Region Tournament and the 1994 NCAA II National Finals. In only two seasons as a Maverick, Cimino set several school records, including most home runs in a career (18) and most home runs in a season (15).

A native of Omaha, Cimino earned her Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from Nebraska-Omaha in 1998.

She was married in August 2004, to Kurt Cimino of Omaha.

Note: The 2020 season was suspended in early March due to the Coronavirus outbreak. The Bruins finished with a 10-10 overall record and did not play any conference games. 

Updated after the 2023 season.